BEGINNING OF BLACK IRREGULAR MASONRY: 1818-1890 By Alton G. Roundtree Black irregular masonry started in 1818 when Union Lodge No. 4 was expelled by First Independent African Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. 1 Harmony Lodge No. 5 was expelled by First Independent African Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania in 1828. 2 These lodges were expelled for conspiracy and rebellion, and were considered by First Independent African Grand Lodge as rebels. These two lodges continued to operate and formed Hiram Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania in 1837. Hiram Grand Lodge was an irregular grand lodge by virtue of the irregular lodges that established the grand lodge. Chillicothe Warrant The regularity of Union Lodge No. 4 and Harmony Lodge No. 5 was based on the Chillicothe Warrant. Joshua Woodlin detailed the alleged Chillicothe Warrant: Again, it is said that Harmony Lodge No. 5, and Union Lodge No. 4, originally working under the authority of the Grand Lodge in Eleventh Street, but having lawfully withdrawn, the Independent Harmony having obtained an independent warrant or charter from under the authority of the Grand Lodge of the state of Ohio, town of Chillicothe, to James Miller, W.M., J. Matthews, S.W., George W. Hilton, J.W., with proper delegated authority to hold convention and grant dispensations under a number of Lodges, sufficient to form a regular Grand Lodge, it is said that the Independent Harmony granted dispensations to three Lodges, and met in convention on the 17 th of July, 1837, and there formed a Grand Lodge under the title of the Hiram Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, held in South Seventh Street, Philadelphia. This Lodge proceeded to establish Lodges, wherever they could, in opposition to the African Grand Lodge. 3 Hiram Grand Lodge claimed its legality based on the Chillicothe Warrant received by Harmon Lodge No. 5. The text of the warrant follows: We, the officers of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, held in the town of Chillicothe, do grant a warrant and constitute a Lodge to be known and styled and title of Harmony Lodge No. 5, to be held in the city of Philadelphia, formerly under the Grand Lodge of Eleventh Street; but having now lawfully withdrawn: and we appoint James Miller, W.M., John H. Matthews, S.W., George W. Hilton, J.W., &c. Whereunto we affix our seal of the Grand Lodge. Done at our hall, this 8 th day of May, 1833. [Signed] HUGH FERGUSON, M.W.G.M. 1 Woodlin, J., The Masonic National Union: A History of the Origin of Ancient Freemasonry Among the Coloured Citizens, in the United States of America, Burlington, N. J., 1855, at 13 2 Woodlin, J., The Masonic National Union: A History of the Origin of Ancient Freemasonry Among the Coloured Citizens, in the United States of America, Burlington, N. J., 1855, at 13 3 Woodlin at 13-14
ROBERT STEPHENS, R.W.D.G.M. CONRAD VOIGH, S.G.W. JAMES WILSON, J.G.W. JONATHAN BATTON, Jr., G.T. WILSON HUNTER, G.S. 4 First Independent African Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania published in the newspaper that Hiram Grand Lodge was clandestine. The newspaper article follows: THE AFRICAN GRAND LODGE PUBLISHED THE HIRAM GRAND LODGE AS BEING CLANDESTINE AND ILLEGAL, ETC. In 1845, the following publication appeared in the Public Ledger: Philadelphia, June 18 th, A. L. 5845, Notice and caution to all free and accepted Masons throughout the globe, and the public generally. We, the undersigned, a committee appointed by the First African Grand Lodge of North America, in and for the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and Masonic jurisdiction thereunto belonging, to show forth the deception that is practiced upon the colored community by an illegal Lodge of Masons, meeting in the Union Hall, South Seventh Street below Lombard, styling themselves the Hiram Grand Lodge of free and accepted coloured ancient York Masons of the state of Pennsylvania, purporting that they obtained an independent warrant or charter from the Grand Lodge of the state of Ohio, town of Chillicothe, with legal authority to grant dispensations to a certain number of Lodges, sufficient to form a grand Lodge, said to be chartered May 7 th, 1833, and granted to James Miller, W.M., J. Matthews, S.W., G. W. Hilton, J.W., with proper delegated authority to hold a convention and grant dispensations unto a number of Lodges, sufficient to form a Grand Lodge, as above mentioned. The committee begs leave to state that the two subordinate Lodges, namely, Harmony Lodge No. 5, and Union Lodge No. 4, originally worked under the jurisdiction of the aforesaid African Grand Lodge, now meeting in the Masonic Hall, South Eleventh Street below Pine. They having been expelled for conspiracy and rebellion, and are considered by the said African Grand Lodge as rebels, &c. Know ye, therefore, that we, the committee appointed by the said Grand Lodge, apprehend that such imposition as has been, and now is practiced upon the coloured community and the craft in this city and elsewhere, by the Lodges so styling themselves the Hiram Grand Lodge, may possibly prove (if not detected,) very injurious to the fraternity. We extremely regret having to appear in public print; but in justice to ourselves and the public in general, we deem it expedient to state the preceding and succeeding facts to prevent such deception from being practiced upon the public any longer. To demonstrate the fact more clearly, see below. [Signed] JAMES BIRD NOAH C. W. CANNON 4 Woodlin at 14
JONATHAN DAVIS 5 An inquiry of the legality of the Chillicothe Warrant showed that the warrant was false. The Mayor of Chillicothe said the following: To whom it may concern,--whereas, it has been represented to me, that certain persons of colour have established what they call a Lodge of Ancient York Masons, and profess to be working under a dispensation or warrant from the Grand Lodge of Ohio, which they say they obtained while the Grand Lodge was sitting in Chillicothe, in the county of Ross, Ohio, some ten or more years ago, I understand said coloured persons have what they call their Lodge in South Seventh Street below Lombard Street, in the city of Philadelphia, in the state of Pennsylvania. Now, therefore, I, William H. Skerrett, S.W. of Scioto Lodge No. 6, in Ross county, Ohio, do certify that the Lodge of which I am a member, is the only Lodge in Ross county, Ohio; also, that I have been a member of said Lodge for more than twenty years, except from February 1826, to August 1827, during which time the Grand Lodge never was held in Ross county, except when convened to install officers of Scioto Lodge. I have, for twenty years, been an officer in said Scioto Lodge, and by virtual thereof, a member of the Grand Lodge, and I never heard of a dispensation being granted by the Grand Lodge of Ohio to any persons, such as the first above represented; and if the warrant purports to be from the Grand Lodge in Ross County, Ohio, I do not hesitate to pronounce the same spurious; and if it came from a subordinate Lodge, it, of course, is of no avail. I, William H. Skerrett, as aforesaid, and as Mayor of the city of Chillicothe, do hereby verify the above by signing my name thereunto and affixing the seal of the city of Chillicothe, this 25 th day of September, A. D. 1844, not having the seal of the Lodge convenient. [Signed] WILLIAM H. SKERRETT, Mayor 6 The grand master of the mainstream grand lodge of Ohio also stated that the warrant was false. He said the following: And having fully examined said paper, I have no hesitation in pronouncing it a forgery. This I do for the following palpable reasons, to wit: 1 st. There neither is, never has been, such a Lodge in our jurisdiction, as Harmony Lodge No. 5. 2d. The Grand Lodge was not held in Chillicothe at the date this paper purports to have been issued thence, nor had been for the preceding fifteen years; but was, on the contrary, and had been, during all that period, held in Columbus and Worthington. 3d. This Grand Lodge never claimed jurisdiction within the bounds of another Grand Lodge, nor assumed authority to grant dispensation or warrants constituting new Lodges in the city of Philadelphia, or any other part of the state of Pennsylvania. 5 Woodlin at 16 6 Woodlin at 16
4 th. No such persons as those whose names are affixed to said paper have ever sustained such offices in the Grand Lodge of Ohio, and the persons are wholly unknown to us and our archives, either as men or Masons. Given under my hand and private seal at the city of Columbus, this seventh day of April, A.L. 5847, and A.D. 1847. [SEAL] WILLIAM B. THRALL, Grand Master 7 United Independent Harmony Grand Lodge The spectrum of irregular black grand lodges is further complicated with the emergence of the United Independent Harmony Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. This grand lodge claims the same formation and history as Hiram Grand Lodge. The United Independent Harmony Grand Lodge legality is based on the Chillicothe Warrant. The United Independent Harmony Grand Lodge claims that Hiram Grand Lodge never had the Chillicothe Warrant. There is not much information on the United Independent Harmony Grand Lodge in the literature aside from the detailed history of the grand lodge and other Masonic bodies in Richard Frisbey s The United Independent Harmony Grand Lodge (1850). Some of the actions of the grand lodge are mentioned in Lux et Veritas. In Lux et Veritas the grand lodge is referred to as Harmony Lodge and not United Independent Harmony Grand Lodge. Also, in Lux et Veritas it is stated that Jerusalem Lodge No. 1 did establish lodges and that Frisbey used the stolen Chillicothe Warrant as his authority. 8 Source of Irregular Lodges United Independent Harmony Grand Lodge and Hiram Grand Lodge were the source of the formation of a number of irregular lodges. The following irregular lodges are attributed to United Independent Harmony Grand Lodge: Philadelphia New Jerusalem Lodge, No. 1 Harmony Lodge, No. 2 Enoch Lodge, No. 3 Noah Lodge, No. 4 New York and New Jersey Evening Star of the East Lodge, No. 1 Celestial Lodge, No. 2 Saint Peter s Lodge, No. 3 Saint Joseph Lodge, No. 4 Saint David s Lodge, No. 5 9 The following is also said in Lux et Veritas: 7 Woodlin at 19 8 Lux et Veritas, Light and Truth, Hiram Grand Lodge of A.Y.M. of State of Delaware, 1856, at 48 9 Lux et Veritas at 48
The above named Lodges were established by Richard W. Frisbey, Worshipful Master of New Jerusalem Lodge, No. 1, Philadelphia; and Celestial Lodge, No. 2, New York; which was established while in Union with the Hiram Grand Lodge, and after his expulsion for taking the warrant [Chillicothe Warrant] that we have just gave a copy of, and other unmasonic conduct, he [Richard Frisbey] proceeded to and did establish the other seven Lodges clandestine. Therefore the Hiram Grand Lodge expelled the warrant of New Jerusalem Lodge No. 1, which was at the formation with the Union, No. 4, and Harmony Lodge, No. 5. The Celestial Lodge of New York is now in Union with the United Grand Lodge of New York, and the others are not in union with any Grand Lodge except themselves, which are known as the Philanthropic Order, and there is no number existing in Philadelphia of that part there, those that are former members, but there Lodges have gone down entirely. 10 Aldrage B. Cooper also indicated that United Independent Harmony Grand Lodge was instrumental in establishing irregular lodges that were part of the Philanthropic and Saint Phillips Grand Lodge of New York. Cooper made the following remarks concerning United Independent Harmony Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. A "Masonic Journal" with no date or place of publication indicated, but which is in the Tatsch Collectio the Library of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts contains a reference to the establishment of the earlie Lodge known to have existed in New Jersey among colored men. There is the allegation that a United Independent Harmony Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania was formed at Chillicothe, Ohio, on June 24, 1837 whose main officers were as follows: Nathaniel Montgomery Grand Master Richard Frisbey Deputy Grand Master Henry Green. Grand Senior Warden Richard W. Jackson. Grand Junior Warden Jesse Jackson, Jr....Grand Secretary Four years later, the Grand Officers of the Harmony Grand Lodge were, to wit: Richard Frisbey Grand Master Henry Green Deputy Grand Master William Armstrong.. Grand Senior Warden Richard W. Jackson. Grand Junior Warden Solomon Bell Grand Treasurer Jesse Jackson, Jr.... Grand Secretary Abraham B. Johnson.Corresponding Grand Secretary Levi Thomas..Grand Senior Deacon Samuel Bayard..Grand Junior Deacon James Towson.. Grand Master of Ceremonies Thomas Rigby.. Grand Sword Bearer James Gray... Grand Senior Steward Isaac F. Hicks... Grand Junior Steward James Wilson Grand Pursuivant 10 Lux et Veritas at 48
Robert Andy. Grand Marshal Edward Purnell. Grand Tyler The grand east of that body was located in Philadelphia. The publication referred to claims that that Grand Lodge chartered a Saint Peter's Lodge, Number 1, situate at Jersey City, on June 10, 1841. 11 Irregular Grand Lodges By 1847 there were five black irregular grand lodges and two regular black grand lodges (African Grand Lodge of Massachusetts and First Independent African Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania). The irregular grand lodges were grand lodges that could not trace their origin to the Grand Lodge of England through the charter issued to African Lodge No. 459. The irregular grand lodges were Hiram Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania (1837), United Independent Harmony Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania (1837), Philanthropic Grand Lodge of New York (1844), Saint Phillips Grand Lodge of New York (1841), and Osiris Electric Grand Lodge of New York (year of origin unknown). The Philanthropic Grand Lodge was an active grand lodge. The following was said in The National Era (1852): A CELEBRATION. - The First Colored Independent Philanthropic Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York, in connection with a committee of colored citizens in Newark, New Jersey, intend having a great celebration there next Monday, in commemoration of the emancipation of 800,000 slaves in the British West India Islands, August 1st, 1834. There is to be a procession, and an ox roasted, with all the most approved proceedings on barbecue occasions. 12 Formation of the National Grand Lodge 1847 With the formation of the National Grand Lodge (NGL) in 1847, every regular black grand lodge came under the National Grand Lodge. The irregular grand lodges were invited to the 1847 Boston Convention that formed the National Grand Lodge with the understanding that those grand lodges would be made regular. Hiram Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania was the only irregular grand lodge that attended the Boston Convention. All of the irregular black grand lodges were aware of the Boston Convention as the invitation was published in the newspapers of the day. Richard Frisbey indicates that United Independent Harmony Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania and Saint Phillips Grand Lodge of New York received the invitation and declined to attend the Boston Convention that established the National Grand Lodge. Frisbey said: This idea was carried out. The call was issued and published in the papers of the day. St. Phillips Grand Lodge of New York received the request. United Independent Harmony Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania also received the request. 13 11 Cooper, Aldrage b. 1957, Footprints of Prince Hall Masonry in New Jersey, New York: Press of Henry Emmerson, at 15-17 12 The National Era, Washington, D.C., August 5, 1852 13 Frisbey, Richard W. 1850. The United Independent Harmony Grand Lodge. Published by Richard W. Frisbey, M.W.G.M. United Independent Harmony Grand Lodge, at 19
After the formation of the National Grand Lodge in 1847 there were four irregular Grand Lodges; United Independent Harmony Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, Osiris Electric Grand Lodge of New York, Philanthropic Grand Lodge of New York, and Saint Phillips Grand Lodge of New York. Mention of these grand lodges was not found in the literature (grand lodge s proceedings, newspaper clippings, books, etc.) after 1856. National Grand Lodge and Independent Grand Lodges The independent Grand Lodges are today s Prince Hall Grand Lodges. From 1848 to 1878 the National Grand Lodge and its state Grand Lodge called the independent grand lodges (grand lodges not under the National Grand Lodge) clandestine or irregular and the independent grand lodges called the National Grand Lodge and its subordinate state grand lodges clandestine. It appears that much of these declarations were rhetoric as the independent grand lodges and the National Grand Lodge state grand lodges often merged as equals to form a new independent grand lodge. Also, when National Grand Lodge state grand lodges declared their independence from the NGL they were accepted and recognized by the independent grand lodges based on the declaration of independence. Most of the mergers and declarations of independence had ended by the end of 1878. Still there were mergers in 1882 (Pennsylvania), 1882 (Tennessee), 1885 (Rhode Island), 1887 (Michigan), 1888 (Georgia), and 1894 (Tennessee). After 1878, the independent Grand Lodges started declaring the NGL irregular or clandestine based on the fact that the NGL had been shut down in 1877 or 1878 and started up again without proper authority which would make it clandestine and would end the NGL lineage to African Lodge No. 459/370 and the Grand Lodge of England. This can be found in the independent Grand Lodge proceedings and the writings of the Prince Hall writers including: William H. Grimshaw (Official History of Freemasonry Among the Colored People of North America 1903), Harry E. Davis (A History of Freemasonry Among Negroes in America 1946), George W. Crawford (Prince Hall Counsellor 1965), and others. In his book (The National Grand Lodge and Prince Hall Freemasonry: The Untold Truth) in 2010 Alton Roundtree showed that the NGL had never been shut down and that the reasons for calling the NGL clandestine was based on premises promoted by the Conference of Grand Master at the 1887 meeting in Chicago, Illinois. In 2012, the Prince Hall Conference of Grand Masters acknowledged that the NGL has lineage to African Lodge No. 459. The NGL has been in continuous operation since 1847. Summary After what has been called (written in proceedings, books, etc.) the era (1847-1878) of the National Grand Lodge, the roots of today s predominately black irregular grand lodges dates to the early 1890 s when John G. Jones of Illinois started establishing Masonic organization without proper authority. Today, there are over 240 predominately black irregular grand lodges in the United States.